1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a flexible pouch for packaging products, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for opening a flexible pouch using a pair of opening fingers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of disposable, portable containers are known in the art for storing a fluid or dry product, such as a liquid, granular material, powder or the like. An example of such a container is a flexible pouch. Consumers prefer the convenience of flexible pouches over other types of containers, due to their shape, size, shelf life and storage adaptability. Manufacturers recognize the packaging benefits of a flexible pouch, since the pouch can be formed and filled on the same manufacturing line. An example of a method and apparatus for filling a flexible pouch with a product is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,601, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The pouch may be formed through conventionally available manufacturing techniques using a machine. Various styles of machines can be utilized, such as a form machine, or fill-seal machine, or form-fill-seal machine. The machine can have various configurations, such as horizontal, vertical or flat bed, or the like, as well as a single or multiple lanes. The machine can include various stations, with a particular operation or operations taking place at each station. The formed pouch may be opened, filled, sealed and finished as required for a particular style of pouch. Various techniques are used to open the pouch, such as grippers, diving rods, or gas or a combination thereof.
While all of these opening techniques work, the pouch may not be fully opened prior to filling, depending on the configuration of the pouch. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved apparatus and method of reliably opening a flexible pouch using a pair of opening fingers, in order to fully open the pouch and fill the pouch with a product.